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Sounding

 - 12 dictionary results

sound⋅ing

1  [soun-ding]
Use Sounding in a Sentence
–adjective
1. emitting or producing a sound or sounds.
2. resounding or sonorous.
3. having an imposing sound; high-sounding; pompous.
–noun
4. a verbal contest or confrontation, as among teenage boys or street-gang members, in which the trading of often elaborate insults and invective takes the place of physical violence.
Origin:
1275–1325; sound 1 + -ing 2

Related forms:
sound⋅ing⋅ly, adverb
sound⋅ing⋅ness, noun

sound⋅ing

2  [soun-ding]
–noun
1. Often, soundings. the act of measuring the depth of an area of water with or as if with a lead and line.
2. soundings,
a. an area of water that can be sounded with an ordinary lead and line, the depth being 100 fathoms (180 m) or less.
b. the results or measurement obtained by sounding with a lead and line.
3. Meteorology. any vertical penetration of the atmosphere for scientific measurement, esp. a radiosonde observation.
—Idioms
4. off soundings, Nautical. in waters beyond the 100-fathom (180-m) depth.
5. on soundings, Nautical. in waters less than 100 fathoms (180 m) deep, so that the lead can be used.
Origin:
1300–50; ME; see sound 3 , -ing 1

Related forms:
sound⋅ing⋅ly, adverb
sound⋅ing⋅ness, noun

sound

1  [sound]
–noun
1. the sensation produced by stimulation of the organs of hearing by vibrations transmitted through the air or other medium.
2. mechanical vibrations transmitted through an elastic medium, traveling in air at a speed of approximately 1087 ft. (331 m) per second at sea level.
3. the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause: the sound of music.
4. any auditory effect; any audible vibrational disturbance: all kinds of sounds.
5. a noise, vocal utterance, musical tone, or the like: the sounds from the next room.
6. a distinctive, characteristic, or recognizable musical style, as from a particular performer, orchestra, or type of arrangement: the big-band sound.
7. Phonetics.
a. speech sound.
b. the audible result of an utterance or portion of an utterance: the s-sound in “slight”; the sound of m in “mere.”
8. the auditory effect of sound waves as transmitted or recorded by a particular system of sound reproduction: the sound of a stereophonic recording.
9. the quality of an event, letter, etc., as it affects a person: This report has a bad sound.
10. the distance within which the noise of something may be heard.
11. mere noise, without meaning: all sound and fury.
12. Archaic. a report or rumor; news; tidings.
–verb (used without object)
13. to make or emit a sound.
14. to give forth a sound as a call or summons: The bugle sounded as the troops advanced.
15. to be heard, as a sound.
16. to convey a certain impression when heard or read: to sound strange.
17. to give a specific sound: to sound loud.
18. to give the appearance of being; seem: The report sounds true.
19. Law. to have as its basis or foundation (usually fol. by in): His action sounds in contract.
–verb (used with object)
20. to cause to make or emit a sound: to sound a bell.
21. to give forth (a sound): The oboe sounded an A.
22. to announce, order, or direct by or as by a sound: The bugle sounded retreat. His speech sounded a warning to aggressor nations.
23. to utter audibly, pronounce, or express: to sound each letter.
24. to examine by percussion or auscultation: to sound a patient's chest.
—Verb phrase
25. sound off, Informal.
a. to call out one's name, as at military roll call.
b. to speak freely or frankly, esp. to complain in such a manner.
c. to exaggerate; boast: Has he been sounding off about his golf game again?
Origin:
1250–1300; (n.) ME soun < AF (OF son) < L sonus; (v.) ME sounen < OF suner < L sonāre, deriv. of sonus

Related forms:
sound⋅a⋅ble, adjective

Synonyms:
1. Sound, noise, tone refer to something heard. Sound and noise are often used interchangeably for anything perceived by means of hearing. Sound, however, is more general in application, being used for anything within earshot: the sound of running water. Noise, caused by irregular vibrations, is more properly applied to a loud, discordant, or unpleasant sound: the noise of shouting. Tone is applied to a musical sound having a certain quality, resonance, and pitch.

sound

3  [sound]
–verb (used with object)
1. to measure or try the depth of (water, a deep hole, etc.) by letting down a lead or plummet at the end of a line, or by some equivalent means.
2. to measure (depth) in such a manner, as at sea.
3. to examine or test (the bottom, as of the sea or a deep hole) with a lead that brings up adhering bits of matter.
4. to examine or investigate; seek to fathom or ascertain: to sound a person's views.
5. to seek to elicit the views or sentiments of (a person) by indirect inquiries, suggestive allusions, etc. (often fol. by out): Why not sound him out about working for us?
6. Surgery. to examine, as the urinary bladder, with a sound.
–verb (used without object)
7. to use the lead and line or some other device for measuring depth, as at sea.
8. to go down or touch bottom, as a lead.
9. to plunge downward or dive, as a whale.
10. to make investigation; seek information, esp. by indirect inquiries.
–noun
11. Surgery. a long, slender instrument for sounding or exploring body cavities or canals.
Origin:
1300–50; ME sounden < OF sonder to plumb, deriv. of sonde sounding line < ?

Related forms:
sound⋅a⋅ble, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To Sounding
sound 1   (sound)   
n.  

    1. Vibrations transmitted through an elastic solid or a liquid or gas, with frequencies in the approximate range of 20 to 20,000 hertz, capable of being detected by human organs of hearing.

    2. Transmitted vibrations of any frequency.

    3. The sensation stimulated in the organs of hearing by such vibrations in the air or other medium.

    4. Such sensations considered as a group.

    5. An articulation made by the vocal apparatus: a vowel sound.

    6. The distinctive character of such an articulation: The words bear and bare have the same sound.

  2. A distinctive noise: a hollow sound.

  3. The distance over which something can be heard: within sound of my voice.

  4. Linguistics

    1. An articulation made by the vocal apparatus: a vowel sound.

    2. The distinctive character of such an articulation: The words bear and bare have the same sound.

  5. A mental impression; an implication: didn't like the sound of the invitation.

  6. Auditory material that is recorded, as for a movie.

  7. Meaningless noise.

  8. Music A distinctive style, as of an orchestra or a singer.

  9. Archaic Rumor; report.

v.   sound·ed, sound·ing, sounds

v.   intr.

    1. To make or give forth a sound: The siren sounded.

    2. To be given forth as a sound: The fanfare sounded.

  2. To present a particular impression: That argument sounds reasonable.

v.   tr.

  1. To cause to give forth or produce a sound: sounded the gong.

  2. To summon, announce, or signal by a sound: sound a warning.

  3. Linguistics To articulate; pronounce: sound a vowel.

  4. To make known; celebrate: "Nations unborn your mighty names shall sound" (Alexander Pope).

  5. To examine (a body organ or part) by causing to emit sound; auscultate.

Phrasal Verb(s):
sound off

  1. To express one's views vigorously: was always sounding off about higher taxes.

  2. To count cadence when marching in military formation.


[Middle English soun, from Old French son, from Latin sonus; see swen- in Indo-European roots.]
sound 4   (sound)   
v.   sound·ed, sound·ing, sounds

v.   tr.

  1. To measure the depth of (water), especially by means of a weighted line; fathom.

  2. To try to learn the attitudes or opinions of: sounded out her feelings.

  3. To probe (a body cavity) with a sound.

v.   intr.

  1. To measure depth.

  2. To dive swiftly downward. Used of a whale or fish.

  3. To look into a possibility; investigate.

n.  An instrument used to examine or explore body cavities, as for foreign bodies or other abnormalities, or to dilate strictures in them.

[Middle English sounden, from Old French sonder, from sonde, sounding line, probably of Germanic origin.]
sound'a·ble adj.
sound·ing 1   (soun'dĭng)   
n.  

  1. The act of one that sounds.

  2. A probe of the environment for scientific observation.

    1. A measured depth of water.

    2. Water shallow enough for depth measurements to be taken by a hand line. Often used in the plural.

sound·ing 2   (soun'dĭng)   
adj.  

  1. Emitting a full sound; resonant.

  2. Noisy but with little significance.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

sound  (n.1)
"noise," c.1280, soun, from O.Fr. son, from L. sonus "sound," from PIE *swonos, from base *swen- "to sound" (cf. Skt. svanati "it sounds," svanah "sound, tone;" L. sonare "to sound;" O.Ir. senim "the playing of an instrument;" O.E. geswin "music, song," swinsian "to sing;" O.N. svanr, O.E. swan "swan," prop. "the sounding bird"). The final -d was established c.1350-1550 as part of a tendency to add -d- after -n-. The verb is attested from c.1300, from L. sonare, from sonus. First record of sound barrier is from 1939. Soundtrack is from 1929; sound check is from 1977; sound effects is 1909, originally live accompaniments to silent films.
"The experts of Victor ... will ... arrange for the synchronized orchestration and sound effects for this picture, in which airplane battles will have an important part." ["Exhibitor's Herald & Moving Picture World," April 28, 1928]
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: sound
Function: intransitive verb
: to be based or founded : have a specified basis for an action —used with in sounded in contract —O. W. Holmes, Junior> <sounding in tort>
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 4sound
Function: noun
: an elongated instrument for exploring or examining body cavities sound>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

sound 3
n.
An instrument used to examine or explore body cavities, as for foreign bodies or other abnormalities, or to dilate strictures in them. v. sound·ed, sound·ing, sounds
To probe a body cavity with a sound.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
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